Stay
by Don'tSpeakAWord
Summary: Skylar moves back to Doncaster to live with her father, and when she is reunited with the boy next door, they both find there are some unresolved feelings. But hey, who said falling in love with your best friend was easy? One Direction Fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

I walked down the familiar street, taking in the scenery and ignoring the butterflies that had taken hold of my stomach.

I had been back for almost a week now, and it felt good to be home.

_What if he doesn't remember me? _A nervous voice echoed in my mind, but I pushed that thought to the side as I rounded the corner, coming to a stop at the house I had been visiting every day since I had arrived in Doncaster.

But today wasn't any other day.

Today I would be seeing Louis for the first time in four years.

We had grown up together, Louis being only two years older than myself.  
He had been the boy next door, my best friend, my confidante, my first kiss, my first love. He had been mine.  
But then my parents had started fighting.  
He was there for me, all through their divorce. And what a messy divorce it was. Restraining orders and all.  
When mum had said she didn't want to be anywhere near my dad, she really meant it. So, we had moved to Australia.  
Louis and I had kept in contact, at least for a while, an email every now and then.  
But we hadn't spoken in over year.

It was only a few weeks ago, mid-November, when my dad asked me to stay with him.  
I missed my dad. I missed England. So, I had agreed.  
Graduating soon after that, I packed my bags, and hopped on a plane, ready to revisit my old life.  
And that leads me to where I am now, standing outside Louis' house.

I took in a deep breath, before knocking lightly.

The door swung open almost immediately, and Jay's arms wrapped around me. I smiled, hugging her tightly.

She pulled back, her face kind as she smiled warmly in return.

Louis' mum hadn't hesitated in welcoming me back into the family. She had known me since I was a little girl and when everything had started happening with my parents, I began spending most of my time at Louis' house. So, that's what I became, part of their family.

"How are you today, sweetie?" She asked.

"Excited." Pursing my lips, I paused. "Nervous."

"Don't be nervous, love! He'll be glad to see you." She shut the door behind me as I entered.

"Is he here yet?" I asked, looking past her, into the lounge room.

"Just picked him up from the Airport, he's in his room."

"Did you tell him I was back in England?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't, thought it'd be a nice surprise for him."

"Oh." I froze as I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

My eyes widened as he came into view.

"Who was at the do-." He didn't have time to finish his sentence, before he saw me.

I could already feel a grin consuming my face as I spoke his name softly.

**Louis' POV. **

"Louis." Her voice was almost a whisper.

All I could do was stare.

It couldn't be. It couldn't be her.

"I'll leave you two kids alone." My mum disappeared into the lounge room, but I didn't even glance at her. I couldn't take my eyes off this girl.

She was about 5'5, and even under all the layers of clothes, I could tell she was very slender. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders, and her pale blue eyes were framed with dark lashes.

She was more beautiful than I remembered.

"Skylar?" I finally choked out her name.

She nodded her head slowly.

I didn't hesitate, I skipped the last couple of steps, jumping to the ground and in one long stride, I was in front of her.

I pulled her into my arms, resting my chin on her head as she nuzzled into my neck.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you." I whispered.

"I missed you too, Lou."

I closed my eyes, not wanting to ever let go.

"So, tell me Mr. Superstar, what's it like being in a boyband?" I looked at Skylar as she spoke; she was sprawled out across my bed.

"It's amazing. It can be hard work sometimes, but I've met so many wonderful people and the lads are great."

"Oh, the lads! Quick question; Larry Stylinson, true or false?" She waggled her eyebrows.

I chuckled. "That would be false."

"Mhm. That's right, you have a girlfriend. The beautiful Eleanor."

I shifted my gaze from her, looking down at the floor. "Uh, actually, we broke up about a month ago."

She sat up. "I'm so sorry, Lou."

"It's alright. It was mutual, but let's not get into it."

She nodded, dropping the subject.

I blinked, an idea coming to mind. "Come with me." I got to my feet, holding a hand out to her.

"Where are we going?" She narrowed her eyes, before linking our fingers together.

"On an adventure."

**Skylar's POV.**

"When you said an adventure, I wasn't expecting a trip into your backyard." I mumbled as Louis dragged me along.

He didn't reply.

"Which brings me to my next question; why are we in your backyard?"

"I want to check out the old tree house."

_Oh my god, the tree house.. _

***About 11 years earlier. No POV.***

Seven year old Skylar looked over at Louis, as they sat across from each other, the tree house surprisingly warm considering how cold of a day it was.

"I pick dare!" He said eagerly, his young blue eyes filled with excitement.

She thought for a moment, before smiling cheekily. "I dare you to give me your orange juice."

He frowned, before looking at the juice box in his hands. "I'm not giving you my juice box, Sky. And you suck at this game."

"Nuh-uh!" She argued, strands of brown hair falling over her face as she shook her head.

"You really do." He laughed, leaning forward and brushing the hair out of her eyes, an affectionate look taking hold of his features.

"You think of a good dare then." She challenged him.

"I will!" He stuck his tongue out before grinning. "I dare you to kiss me."

She stood up, giggling slightly. "That's gross, Louis. Boys have cooties."

"Do not!" He shouted after her, as she climbed out of the tree house.

***Current time. No POV.* **

Louis glanced over at Skylar, as she paced around the small room, stopping suddenly.

"Look at this, Lou." She said softly, running her fingers over a plank of wood.

He walked over, examining the area.

Carved into the wood, in messy writing was, _Sky loves Lou. _

***About four years earlier. No POV.* **

Fourteen year old Skylar sat in the tree house, biting her lip as tears filled her eyes.

She pulled the pocket knife that Louis had given her for her twelfth birthday out of her jeans, and began to etch something into the wall.

"Skylar, what are you doing up here?" Louis' voice made her jump, but she didn't respond.

"What's happening, Sky?" His voice was soft.

She dropped the knife on the floor, tracing her index finger over her engraving.

_Sky loves Lou. _

"I'm leaving, Lou." She choked out.

He sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her small shoulders. "Where are you going? When will you be back?"

"I don't think I'm coming back, Lou, I don't think I'm coming back.." Tears began to fall from her eyes as she buried her face in Louis' chest.

"What do you mean?" He paused, hugging her tightly. "Sky?"

"I'm moving to Australia."

It was with those four words that his heart sank.

She couldn't be leaving. His best friend could not be leaving. The girl he had been in love with since he was six could not be leaving.

He placed a hand under her chin, raising her face so that she was looking at him.

Louis wiped away her tears, trying not to cry himself.

"Truth or dare?" He suddenly asked.

"What are you doing, Lou-."

"Truth or dare?" He asked more firmly.

"I don't know.. Dare." She mumbled.

"I dare you to kiss me."

"What?" She blinked, trying to understand what he had just said. She had never kissed a boy before, never wanted to, not unless that boy was Louis. And here he was, daring her to kiss him.

"I dare you to kiss me, Skylar."

No longer hesitating, she brought her lips to his, as he cupped her face with warm hands.

She would always remember that kiss.

That perfect first kiss.

That perfect first kiss that seemed to be the perfect beginning, to a perfect ending.

* * *

**Really short chapter, I know! Sorry! But I haven't uploaded in a while, and I really wanted to do something with Louis, so yay! Hope you enjoy! xx Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Skylar's POV.**

Backs pressed against the wall, Louis and I sat next to each other in the tree house, laughing at silly jokes and reminiscing over years passed.

"It seems like only yesterday we were just two kids messing around up here." His voice was laced with nostalgia as he shook his head.

"I know. But here we are, all grown up." I paused. "It's been four years since the last time we were both up here, together." My voice caught as I spoke the word 'together', but I hoped he didn't notice.

The last time we had been up here, had been one of the last time's I had seen Louis Tomlinson.

It was also when we had shared what was our perfect, first and last kiss.

But he probably didn't remember. _Why would he?_

"When you put it that way, it feels like forever." He gave a small chuckle, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, forever.." I mumbled. _See, he doesn't remember._

"Something wrong?"

"Nope, everything's just perfect." I spoke with a reassuring smile, though a heavy weight tugged at my heart.

We sat in silence for a while, his arm around my shoulder as we enjoyed being in each other's presence.

"Hey, Sky." His voice broke through my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I looked up at him, to find that he was already staring at me, his gorgeous eyes searching my face.

Moments passed, possibly even minutes as we sat there, neither one of us moving.

"You're really beautiful, you know that?" He spoke in a distant voice, slowly raising a hand and brushing two fingers across my cheek.

"Oh, Lou. I don't think-." I didn't get to finish my sentence, because his lips had cut me off.

My eyes fluttered shut as he kissed me, my body leaning in to his. It was a cold day, but the heat radiating through his clothes kept me warm.

I pulled back, my phone vibrating in my pocket. _Probably dad wanting me home, _I thought.

Louis gave me a confused look as I stood up. "I should go." My voice was almost a whisper.

I didn't give him time to respond before I climbed out of the tree house, and started running.

Running out of his backyard, away from him house, away from him, away from everything.

**End of POV.**

_What just happened?_

_You kissed your best friend. _Louis thought to himself.

_And then she ran away. _

"Man, I didn't think I was that bad of a kisser." He joked to himself, though this situation was anything but funny.

But why did she run away? He had felt her kiss him back, felt her body lean into his..

He let out a sigh, remembering the way she smelled of vanilla and soap, remembering the taste of her lips, remembering back all those years ago, when in the heat of the moment, out of fear of losing his best friend, and never having her know how he felt, sixteen year old Louis Tomlinson, had dared Skylar to kiss him.

And oh, what a kiss it had been.

She hadn't run away back then, either, she had stayed.

***About four years earlier. No POV.***

Louis played absentmindedly with a strand of Skylar's hair as she rested her head on his chest, the two snuggled up together as they looked out the single window of the tree house.

"I'm going to miss you, Sky." His voice was soft, brows knitting together as he spoke with a sense of seriousness in his tone.

"I'll miss you too, Lou." The words drifted from her lips in an almost sigh.

"I-," He was about to say something, but decided against it.

"What was that?" She asked gently, looking up at him with pale blue eyes.

_I love you. _He said, but only in his mind.

"Where does this leave us then?" _Not quite what I was going for, but it'll do. _

"This leaves us in your tree house, silly." She bit her lip.

"That's not what I meant." He meant that after ten years of being best friends, they had finally kissed, and he didn't know what the hell to do about that.

"I know." She didn't answer his question yet again, but he let the subject drop, because as far as he knew, neither of them had a clue where it left them.

All he knew was that even if he could finally admit his feelings to Skylar, he couldn't have her.

Because she was moving to Australia, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He had missed his chance.

**Louis' POV. **

"Where's Skylar?"

"She went home, mum."

"Oh, I was going to ask if she wanted to stay for dinner. I'm making chicken casserole."

"Uh, yeah, she said something about going out for dinner with her dad, so they could spend some time together, you know."

"I see. I'd imagine George would want to have a little time with Skylar, considering she's been here every day since she arrived in Doncaster, waiting for you to come home."

"She has?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, she has. Didn't she tell you?"

"She didn't." I mumbled slightly.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" Mum tilted her head as she looked at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, I'll be back, I've just got to make a call." I turned on my heel, making my way to the stair case.

"Take your time, dear." She called after me.

As soon as I had shut my bedroom door behind me, I reached forward and grabbed my phone off my bed.

I scrolled through my contacts; until I found the name I was looking for and hit call.

The phone rang in my ear as I pressed it to the side of my face, waiting for him to pick up.

"Hey Louis, I was just about to call you."

"Beat you to it." I said softly, a small smile on my lips.

"What's up?"

"Harry, did I ever tell you about Skylar?"

"Wait, so you kissed Skylar?" Harry asked.

"Correct."

"And she kissed you back?"

"She certainly did."

"Then she ran away?"

"Uh, yes."

"God, Lou. Didn't think you were that bad of a kisser." He chuckled.

"That's what I sai-" I shook my head. "Never mind."

"So, what are you going to do about Skylar, then?"

"I don't know! I was hoping you could give me some advice?"

"Not sure that I can, sorry. Can't say that I've ever kissed my best friend." His tone was light, and he sounded quite amused.

"Harry, this is serious! I could possibly lose my best friend over this one kiss, just after I got her back, might I add." My eyebrows pinched together.

"Well.. you're flying back into London in three weeks, yes?"

I nodded, though I knew he couldn't see. "Yeah, what about it?"

"It means you've got just under a month, then."

"Just under a month.. To do what?"

"To make Skylar fall in love with you." He spoke softly.

"You're kidding me." I blinked incredulously.

"Come on, you did it when you were sixteen, right? You can do it again."

"So, that's it then. I have three weeks to make Skylar fall in love with me."My voice dropped to a whisper.

"Yep, three weeks. Good luck, mate." Harry hung up, and I was left in silence.

_Three weeks, better make the most of it. _

**Oh, it seems like I'm always apologising for not posting soon enough! But I am sorry, it's been a while! xo Hope you enjoyed.**


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